Airplane mooring



Jan. 13, 1942. H. E. FERRIS AIRPLANE MOORING Filed oct. so, 1959 Patented Jan. 13, 1942 UNITED STATES lPATENT OFFICE AIRPLANE MOORING Henry E. Ferris, Harvard, Ill.

Application October 30, 1939, Serial No. 301,898

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a mooring which is adapted not only to anchor an airplane in a fixed position of rest, but also to deflect air currents with a consequent diminution of forces tending to lift or otherwise move the ship. These objects I accomplish by a construction which is simple, inexpensive, strong, easily applied to use, light and compact when folded up for stowage, and distributive over a large area of the airplanes wing of the strains encountered in response to winds which exert a force against the ship from any or all directions.

A suggestive embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- Figure 1 shows in perspective an airplane anchored in place by the present mooring;

Fig. 2 shows an end elevation thereof; and

Figure 3 shows a view in plan of the mooring per se, extended flatwise.

The conventional airplane illustrated equipped with the usual horizontal wing W having a hull H (of cabin, cockpit or other type) connected thereto in its medial region. Appropriate struts may interconnect the hull with the wings at points toward their tips, all as is common at the present time. I would have it understood that an airplane of the general type described is simply one of many with which the present mooring may be advantageously used, and has been illustrated merely for convenience in conveying an understanding of my invention.

The mooring M itself comprises a sheet of fiexible material which is light, strong and otherwise suited to meet the usual conditions encountered in service. It may, for example, be made from sail cloth, possibly reinforced lengthwise as by fabric strips s (or webbings, pleats, overlap of material, etc.) of which one is shown as extending centrally and one adjacent each longer edge of the sheet which is preferably of rectangular shape. Other strips e (or webbings,

edge-turning, etc.) applied adjacent the sheet ends connect with the longitudinal strips so that strains transmitted lengthwise through the sheet will be distributed somewhat laterally at its ends where I have provided grommets g. As shown three such grommets are placed at each end of the sheet, one at each of the opposite ends of the longitudinal strips, but additional grommets at other points along the end strip may be provided, if desired. v

The size, and, to some extent, the proportions of the sheet will be determined in large part by factors such as (a) distance to which the wing is extended outwardly, i. e., laterally from the hull, (bl) height of the wing top surface from the ground, (c) approximate distance across the wing between its leading and trailing edges, (d) angle of divergence desired for opposite end portions of the sheet when draped over a wing, as shown in Fig. 2, and (e) spacing between the sheet ends and the ground. It will be understood that two such sheets, both alike, will by preference constitute the mooring, the two sheets being extended over portions of the wing area which lie upon opposite sides of the hull (see Fig. 1). When so draped, short loops of rope r, tied through the grommets, are connected to stakes t driven into the ground so as to anchor the two ends of each sheet xedly in place.

It will observed that a mooring of the kind described will serve to securely hold the airplane due to the downward pulling force which it exerts against the top surface of the wing. This engagement between the wing and mooring which extends over an extended portion of the upper surface of the wing is advantageous because it is distributive ofthe restraining forces transmitted to the airplane. Because of this fact there is an absence of any chang of the fabric covering usually applied to the wing surface, and the strains proceeding through the mooring fabric are distributed throughout the entire width thereof. Of primary importance, however, is the deflection of air currents moving toward the airplane, due to the opposite end portions of the sheet which extend downwardly, preferably in diverging relation, from opposite edges of the wing to a point close to the ground. With the mooring in place, as shown, very little area is left exposed for air currents to reach the under side of the wing and exert thereupon a force tending to displace the ship from its position of anchorage. In fact, the air currents are rendered impotent under all normal conditions.

The present mooring is light, and when folded may be stowed away in a small space. When in use it affords a shelter or storage space which may be availed of, if desired. The mooring may also serve4 as a hangar, either temporary or permanent. Ample protection against wind currents is furnished to the ailerons and all other elements on the under side of the wing; and on the top side of the wing accumulation of ice, sleet and snow is largely prevented, in case of bad weather.

I claim:

1. An airplane mooring device for cooperative association with the wings of an airplane, comprising a wing engaging ground anchoring member composed of a rectangular sheet of flexible wind resisting material, said member being of a width and length to engage and conform to the shape of an upper Wing surface throughout the intermediate portion of said member for substantially the major length of the wing and from the leading to the trailing edges thereof, the opposite end portions of said member being of lengths to engage the ground at points laterally spaced from the leading and trailing wing edges, and means in the ground anchoring end portions of said member for tensioning said member in rm self-conforming contact with the upper wing surface on either side of the center of the airplane.

2. An airplane mooring device according to claim 1 wherein the flexible sheet member embodies a fabric body portion, edge and intermediate spaced reinforcing strips extending throughout the length of the body portion, reinforcing strips intersecting the ends of the edge and intermediate reinforcing strips, and wherein said ground engaging and anchoring means is in the intersecting portions of said strips.

HENRY E. FERRIS. 

